Automatic railway gate



Aug. 17,1926. 1,596,344

W. H. FINNEY AUTOMATIC' RAILWAY GATE Filed May 2, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet `1 www WWA/5835s Aug. 11,1926. n 1,596,344

W. H. FINNEY AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATT: l

Filed May 2, 192s l 5 sheetssheez 2 Si ff,

Aug. 17', 1926.

, y 1,596,344 W. H. FINNEY l AUTMATIG RAILWAY GATE l Filed May 2, 1923 5 Sheets-Shadi 3 N QD W .q o\ I l I 1 @s 59 m, 1. w i? Q 1|- 'WITNESSES Aug. 17, 1926.

w. H. FINNEY AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE Filled May 2', 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet' 4.

WITNESSE A TTORNE YS Aug. 17 1926.

w. H. FINNEY AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GATE Filed May 2, 192s 5 sheets-snee: 1' g,

` AINVENTOR Y mlzey BY `2% A TTORNE YS Patented Aug. 1:7, 1926.

' [1,596,344 'r OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. FINNEY, F NASHVILLE, C'.IIEN'NESSIIIE.

.'AUToMATIc RAILWAY GATE.

Application tiled May This invention relates to automatic railway gates.

. I the engineer of' An object -of the invention is the provision of a practical andeifective mechanism for automatically operating railway Vgates by a 'passing train wherein the gates are normally extended transversely of the tracks.

.A further object of the invention is the provision of a device actuated by a passing train-for not only operating arailway safety gate but aseries of visual signals cooperating with'the gate to aid in saving lifev at said railway crossing.

- A further Aobject of the invention is theprovision of a device for operating a rail- Way gate, which device is so constructed that the same may be readily andeii'ectivcly actuated by a passing trainfor warning persons in advance of the approaching train and for swinging the gate across a blind and dangerous crossing to prevent access to the tracks. f Y' Another object of the invention is'the provision of a 'device which is not only automatically operated Vby a passing train tol swingthe'gate transversely of the railway crossing but which will, in advance, warn an approaching train when the gate fails to obstruct the crossing.

Other Vobjects and advantages vwill become A apparent during the course of the .following description.

' AThe invention is illustrated by way of exaccompanying drawings,' .in

Figure 1 is a` 1'1ont` view of the gate and the operating mechanism for the gate partly insection.

mechanism for the gate. vertical section of the j ack for operating-the gateV to open;l position'.

Figure 4 is ,a diagrammaticview of the electric 'wiring of the numerous circuits for controlling the visual signals and the actuation ofthe ate in one direction. Figure '5 `agrammatically shows theselectric control attached tothe' ate. Figure 6 is a side view o a semaphore.

Figure is a plan view of a gate and-:an auxiliary gatein open position.- Figure 8 is diagrammaticallyshownelcctric circuits and the'controls'for theA sema- Phore's.

1an view partly in section egignatcs ,1923. serial No. eaazi.

the casing in which the operating mechanism for `the swingable gate '-2 is located.l Thegate being movable through a' circumfer -ential slot 3 in the cylindrical portion 4 ofthe casing 1. An operating shaft 5 is mounted in bearings, 7 8 and 9 formed in the casing.- A reduced portion 10 of the shaft'. projects .beyond the tower or cylindrical casing 4 and is provided with an eye 11 vat its upper end to receive one end of a cable 12 which is secured at its "other end vadjacent the outer free 'end of the gate 2. A warning signal' light 13 is mountedV on the 'swingable gate 2.

As shown inFigure 1 the gate is extended longitudinally of the tracks 14 and di- Arectly over the railroad crossing and is in closed position. A motor 15, which is adapted to be automatically set in operation in a manner which will be presently explained, is mounted in a portion of the casing and is provided with a shaft 16 .having a gear 17 at its outer end. The gear' 17 meshes' with a. gear 18 vwhich is mounted on a, shaft 19. The shaft 19Y is mounted in bearings in a jack casing 20 located in a pit within 'the casing@ and is provided with a spur gear 21 adapted to mesh with the teeth of a rack 22 slidable within the casing 20'for opening the gate, while a pawl 23 is adapted to engage the teeth of the rack and i maintain the rack in its most velevated position and the gate in open position and extended transversely of the tracks 14.

y A magnet 24 located in a circuit 26, as shown in Figure 4, is adapted to movethe arm 25 and release the pawl 23 from'the rack 22 to permit said rack to descend when the gate'is to be closed over the crossing 27.

The rack 22meshs with a gear 28 mounted in bearings 29.v vA bevelled gear 30 is rigidly mounted on the. same shaft as the gear 28 and meshes with a bevelled gear 31 rigidl connected with the shaft 5.

bevelled gear 3 2 rigidly connected with thefshaft 5 at its lower 'end meshes with a gear 33 mounted on -a' shaft 34. The shaft 34 extends diagonally underneath the tracks 14i11'the'pit 35 and operates 'a shaft similar @to the shaft 5 for actuating a. gat/e. which is -similar to the gate 2 to'be extended' transv ersely ofthe tracks of the crossing 27 to warn a. train approaching in adirectin opposite to a train which travels on the tracks 14.

and also transversely.

A platform, shown in plan Fig- Y i ure 2, which is located at the top of the pit 35, provides a sup ort for the resilient bumpers 37 and 38 w ich are located at substantially right angles toeach other.

An arm 39, which is rigidly connected to the shaft 5, is adapted to be oscillated between the bumpers 37 and 38. A chain 40 connected at one end to the outer free end of the arm 39 passes over a ball bearing roller 41 mounted on a shaft 42. The lower end of the chain 40 is connected to a weight 43y which is movable within a pit 44. When the weight 43 has moved bygravity to the bottom of the pit after the pawl 23 has been released efrom the rack 22, the gate 2 will likewise have been-moved longitudinally of the track and transversely of the crossing 27. The motor 15 actuates the rack to its most elevated position, causing the gears 30 and 31 t be rotated and likewise the shaft 5, for moving the gate 2 transversely of the track 14 .and the arm 39 in engagement with the resilient bumper 38.

Mounted on the shaft 5 is an arm 45 which Iis adapted to oscillate over av control board 46 which is formed lrigidly with the inner -Wall of the tower 4. The arm is provided with contacts 47 and 48 with the contact 47 adapted to engage a contact 49 on the control board 46, while the contact 48 is adapted to engagelan arcuately shaped contact 50 likewise in the control board. A movable contact 51 engageable with a contact 51a is moved out of engagement with contact 51 when the gate is closed. The contacts 51 and 51a are mounted on the control 4 6. A movv able contact 52 engageable with a contact 52a is moved out of engagement with; contact 52l` by the'arm 45 when the gate is opened andlocatedtransversely of the track.

Referring to Figure 4, a diagrammatic view of a single line block system for controlling the visualtsign'als andthe automatic noperation of the motor 15, is shown. A re-` lay 53 is controlled by a'short section 54 of the track at each end of the block, for ringing a bell 55 as a warning to anyone that the gate is about to close and also` controls they circuits for lighting the lamp 13 on the gate 2 and the lamps 56a in the semaphores 56. The magnet 57 is energized by the circuit 58 which is connected with the battery `59 and the short section of the block 54 and `operates the relay 53.

A relay 60 is operated by magnet 63 when a train moves over the block 61 closing the circuit 62 which energizes the magnet 63. The track section 6la is connected with the battery 59. The circuit between track section 61 and 61a is made through the wheels and axle of the engine and cars passing over these sections.' The magnet ino-'ves the relay 60 to engage contacts 64 andv 65 c losing the circuit 26, thereby energizing the magnet 24.

to operate' the' armature 25 aii'dfrelease the from contact 52al pawl 23 from the rack 22. The rack then moves releases the shaft 5 whereby the'arm 39 is actuated by the downward movement of the weight 43 until said arm engages the bump'- er 3 when the gate 2 is located transversely of the crossing 27.

When the gate is moved transversely lot' thev crossing the control arm 45 is moved to the dotted line position and contact 48 engages contact 50 thereby closing circuit 66 to the bell 55, lights 13 and 56". This circuit was opened when the train left block 54. Movable contact 51 which was` in -engagement with contact 51a is moved out of engagement with said contact thereby breaking circuit 67 demagnetizing 24, and releasing armature 25. vBy the,release of said armature 'the pawl 23 is permitted to again engage the teeth of the rack 22. v

The semaphores 56 are placed on each side of the track and are'controlled by a circuit 68 through the contact 47 on arm 45 engaging contact 49 on the control board in lthe dotted line position of arm 45. These. semaphores are .adapted to be illuminated to disclose a green light for showing that the track is clear when the gate is closed but if or anv reason the gate does not close, the lights lwill downwardly within the casing 2O and contacts will not engage and the circuit 68 i will likewise be open. As long as circuit'` l68 is open the semaphore will show red.

When gate 2 and likewise arm 45 leave their position transversely of the tracks, the spring pressed movable contact 52 engages contact 52a thereby tending to close the circuitr69 to the motor l5 but since the armature 60 .is held away from contacts by^mag1 net 63 the circuit remains open and does so, so long as the train is on block 61. As soon as said train moves to block 54, the 'circuit through line 62 is broken, magnet 63 is de? magnetized and spring 72 returns armature 60 to contacts 70 and 71. The circuit 69 is electrified and the motor is set in motion which rotates shaft 5 to raise the ball bearing jack, thereby returning the gate to its open position. As the gate returns to its open position the contact 52 is moved away thereby breaking the circuit 69 to the motor. in engagement with the rack 22, the rack will be held in elevated position.

Itis to be noted that when the train' moves Circuit 62 leads to battery 59` as shown.

A wire 74 connects track 61a with the batterv.

. The lamp 13as shownpmore particularly light to an'approaching train coming fromA either direction when the gate is open or to pedestrians approaching a crossing when the gate is closed. The green lights are displayed to an approaching train when the gatel is closed and to pedestrians when the gate is open.

In Figure 8 is diagrammatically shown the system of wiring for a controlling arm 45 of a main gate and a controlling arm 45a of an auxiliary gate with contacts 80 and 81 in a circuit- 82 of a battery 83. The closing of one gate and likewise the closing of the contacts 80 and 81 on that gate Would not close the circuit 82 and then .operate thesemaphores 84er either one since both contacts must be closed to close thev circuit.

This form requires the closing of both gates l and if some obstruction on the tracks would l of the tracks to open position or longitudinally of the tracks to closed position, a motor for movingthe gate transversely of the tracks, an open circuit connected with said motor,

semaphores provided with lamps adapted to show a red light, an open circuit connected with the lamps in the semaphore, means caused to be operated by a moving train for closing the ciruit to the lamps, and means associated with said circuit and controlled by the movable gate for closing the circuit to continue the illumination of the lamps, and means operated by the moving train after said train has passed the gate for closing the circuit to the motor andv'causing operation of the motor for opening the gate.

2. In a safety device for railroad crossings, a gate, a motor lfor causing the gate to be moved transversely of the tracks, an open circuit connected with said motor, semaphores provided with lamps adapted to show a red light, an open circuit connected with the lamp fin the semaphore, means caused to be operated by the moving train for closingf'the circuit to thelamps -Whereby said lamps are illuminated, and means operated by the moving train after the train has passed the gate for closing the circuit yto the vmotor and causing operation ofthe motor for opening the gate, and'means connected with the gate for'opening the circuit tothe motor when said gate is located substantially transversely of the track. Y

3. In a safety device for railroad crossings, a gate actuating mechanism forautomatically moving the ate transversely of the tracks to open position or longitudinally ofthe tracks to closed position, a motor for moving the gate transversely of the tracks, lamps on the gate, semaphorcs provided with lamps, open electric circuits connected with the motor, semaphores and lamps, stationary contacts mounted adjacent thegate and connected with the circuits oof the lamps and semaphores, contactsf carried by the gate engageable with the stationary contacts to close said circuits, means operated by the moving train when said train passes the gate to-close the circuit to the motor whereby the motor is operated for openingsaid gate, meansfor causing closing of the gate, means automatically operated for releasing the closing meansfor the gate,'and means connected with the `gate for opening the circuit to the motor when said gate has fully opened.

WILLIAM H. FINNEY. 

